Sony Unveils Digital Frame/Printer Combo

Greg Tarr of TWICE has the scoop on the new Sony digital picture frame/printer combo:

Sony Electronics is launching Thursday a multitasking digital photo frame and printer combination.

The S-Frame DPP-F700 is an all-in-one device that allows photo lovers to display their favorite photos and make an instant print copy for interested friends and family.

The DPP-F700, which will ship in January at a $200 estimated selling price, has a 7-inch 16:10 LCD display with WVGA (800-by-480) resolution.

The device prints 4-by-6 inch professional quality 300-by-300 dpi photos instantly in just 45 seconds.

The frame will also enable users to edit images before making prints. Editing options include enlarging, reducing, cropping, date stamping, adding borders or omitting, and adjusting brightness, contrast, hue, and sharpness.

A Creative Print mode will enable making photo calendar using more than 30 templates, print an ID photo, and create a “layout print” with multiple images on one sheet.

The S-frame includes 1GB of internal storage capacity with an auto-resizing adjustment that downsizes photos to let you store up to 2,000 photos.

The new S-Frame model supports JPEG, TIFF and BMP image file formats.

Images can be transferred to the frame via a USB connection or via most Flash memory cards, including Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Secure Digital (SD), SDHC, Multi-Media Card (MMC), CompactFlash and xD-Picture Card media.

An Auto Orientation sensor automatically rotates photos to adjust for horizontal of vertical frame placement.

Supplied accessories include a paper tray, AC adaptor, CD-ROM (print driver, PMB), operation manual, cleaning kit and stand.

Optional print packs include compatible SVM-F series: SVM-F40P (40 sheets of photo paper and cartridge), and SVM-F120P (120 sheets of photo paper and cartridges).

11% of U.S. Households Own A Digital Picture Frame

From Greg Scoblete of Twice comes this article about the rising numbers of wireless/digital picture frames in homes today:

“Eleven percent of all U.S. households own a digital photo frame, according to PMA’s 2008 U.S. Digital Imaging Survey.

That figure is roughly double the number of households owning a digital frame in 2006.

According to PMA, 15 percent of digital camera households reported owning a digital photo frame in 2007 vs. 9 percent in 2006. Its rapid growth as a digital camera accessory owes to falling prices and improved performance, the association observed. Frames are also benefiting from the large install base of digital cameras, as consumers look for means of viewing their images, the association said.”

I’ve got mine; that’s it right up there. And that’s my little son, twenty years ago, smiling at everyone with the same smile he still uses today. When I look at the slideshow on my Digital Spectrum MF8104, time goes backwards, and sometimes it stands still.

Research predicts strong growth of the Digital and Wireless Frame markets

An article posted on TWICE yesterday predicted strong growth over the next five years in the digital picture frame market. Shipments of digital frames are projected to ht 5.6 million this year, up from a mere 1.6 million in 2006. These numbers are projected to hit 42.3 million by 2011.

According to the article, 12% of the frames shipped this year will have wireless capabilities. In such a strong emerging market, the percentage of wireless enabled frames will only grow, expanding the availability of FrameChannel on digital photo frames.

If you don’t already own a wireless frame, now is your chance to get in on the growing trend!